This invention relates generally to ventilator fans and more particularly to a wind diverter which reduces the adverse effects of wind blowing toward the exhaust hood of a ventilator fan.
Agricultural buildings such as poultry sheds and hog sheds are commonly equipped with ventilation fans which provide the necessary ventilation for the building. Normally, the fan is mounted on a building wall and exhausts air from the building at a rate determined by the fan capacity. In order to protect the fan from ice, snow, rain and other potentially damaging effects, an exhaust hood is often mounted on the discharge side of the fan. The exhaust hood extends outwardly from the building wall and shields the fan from the elements.
If the fan exhausts directly into the wind, its efficiency is severely reduced. Consequently, it is common practice to amount the fan on a wall which faces east or south in order to avoid discharging into the normally prevailing west to east or north to south winds. However, it is not always possible to use an east or south facing wall for the fan, and the fan must occasionally be mounted on a west or north wall where it often faces into the impinging wind. Furthermore, the wind at times blows in all directions and thus sometimes opposes the fan regardless of its location or orientation. At best, winds which oppose the fan create back pressure on the fan blades or shutters which severely reduces the fan capacity and efficiency. At worst, the fan is completely stalled by the back pressure created by strong opposing winds. In cases where the building is used for animal or poultry confinement, the health of the animals confined in the building can be adversely affected if unfavorable wind conditions prevent adequate ventilation.
To my knowledge, there have been no special hoods or other structures available in the past which effectively shield the fan exhaust from wind pressure. Therefore, it is evident that a need exists for a device to prevent impinging winds from stopping or reducing the capacity of an exhaust fan. It is the primary goal of the present invention to meet that need.
More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a wind diverter which acts to deflect incoming wind away from the discharge end of the exhaust hood in order to prevent the wind from creating back pressure which could stall the exhaust fan or significantly reduce its operating capacity and efficiency.
Another object of the invention is to provide a wind diverter which does not interfer with normal operation of the ventilator fan in exhausting air from the building. The diverter actually enhances the fan exhaust because it deflects the wind in a manner to create a low pressure region adjacent to the discharge end of the exhaust hood, and the low pressure assists fan induced air flow out of the hood. Thus, in addition to preventing the wind from adversely affecting the fan, the diverter actually enhances the fan operation by assisting the discharge of air from the exhaust hood.
A further object of the invention is to provide a wind diverter of the character described which can be applied to virtually any exhaust hood and which can be installed either as original equipment or retrofitted to an existing fan that is already in place on an agricultural building.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a wind diverter of the character described which has a special aerodynamic shape for enhanced efficiency both in deflecting the incoming wind and in assisting the fan exhaust. The wind deflector preferably has a conical configuration which minimizes interference with the exhaust fan discharge while at the same time diverting the incoming wind in a pattern which prevents the wind from applying significant back pressure to the fan.
A still further object of the invention is to provide, in a wind diverter of the character described, a simple and economical mounting bracket system for securely attaching the deflector to the exhaust hood.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a wind diverter of the character described which is constructed in a simple and economical manner and which uses materials that are resistant to the corrosive gases and liquids prevalent in the exhaust air from total confinement buildings.
Other and further objects of the invention, together with the features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear in the course of the following description.